"I learned how important it is to communicate. I hope it will make life happier for the service users.”

Lamh Attendee 2016

I learned 100 signs to go away and teach my autistic child.

Lamh Attendee 2017

I enjoyed the interaction and the humour!

Lamh Attendee 2015

“I’ve learned so many signs and how to effectively communicate with residents.”

Lamh Attendee 2016

“I liked the positive interaction between the tutor & learners.”

Lamh Attendee 2016

I liked the way the 100 words were split out throughout the day. Not information overload. Very enjoyable - the day flew!

Lamh Attendee 2017

Found Marijke very enjoyable as a teacher. Made the course a lot more intereting and easier to learn.

Lamh Attendee 2017

I liked Marijke. You made the course interesting and fun.

Lamh Attendee 2017

I liked your enthuasian and how personable and approachable you are. So much was covered and I liked how you were willng to show us lots of other sign.

Lamh Attendee 2017

“I enjoyed the games, these were practical and helped consolidate our learning and helped us to retain the new signs.”

Lamh Attendee 2016

"I enjoyed doing the signs and activity. I think that this will help me in the future with being a special needs assistant"

Lamh Attendee 2015

I liked the multiple steps in learning signs - helped memory.

Lamh Attendee 2017

I liked the structure of the class. Marijke made the class fun and enjoyable to learn the different signs.

Lamh Attendee 2017

"Loved the training style. Very enjoyable day."

Lamh Attendee 2016

“What did I like: being able to communicate with Lamh user. Brilliant course. Would recommend it to other people.”

Lamh Attendee 2017

I learned a lot of signs I didn't know and how to teach them to my brother. I'll finally be able to have a proper conversation with him.

Lamh Attendee 2017

"Great anecdotes helped me associate the words with the sign."

Lamh Attendee 2015

"I enjoyed the group interaction. Moving between theory and practical Lamh signs has helped me to concentrate for the entirety of the day.”

Lamh Attendee 2016

I liked the way the tutor presented the class. It enabled me to learn in a relaxed way. Her coverage was fantastic. I would attend another class hosted by her.

Lamh Attendee 2017

I learned so many new signs and lots of different ways to approach kids to create conversation opportunities.

Lamh Attendee 2017

I liked the way nobody was singled out. The signs were demonstrated as a group.

Lamh Attendee 2017

Course Content:

Module One Lamh signs (100+)

Alternative and augmentative communication (AAC)

Lamh(TM) brief history and development

Lamh signing environment

By the end of this course, participants should be able to:

Use the 100+ signs from the Module One Book

Use Lamh as an effective communication tool

Contribute to assessment or decision-making around Lamh use

Participate effectively in an established Lamh environment.

Workshop fee of €110 is inclusive of:

Module One Handbook/Signbook.

Module One Certificate

Membership to Lamh signs online

Registration on the Lamh Module One database

Refreshments and Light Lunch

TO BOOK COURSE

You need to pay the workshop fee, and complete the registration form below, at least 1 week before the course start date. This is to allow us offer places to those who may have been waitlisted due to demand.

Payment Options and T&Cs

We can accept payment by PayPal, Credit Card, or Bank Transfer.

Paypal Option

If you choose PayPal, you will be taken outside of the CATTS Website, and will be brought to PayPal, which will process your transaction. The PayPal fees of €7 are added to the overall cost of the course.

In order to match your application to the payment, please add the email address you used above into the PayPal system when paying.

We can take a Credit Card over the phone. Please note we do not keep card details, and enter it straight into the processing system. To pay by Credit Card, please complete the registration form and then email jmorris@catts.ie who will arrange to take the card payment over the phone with you the next day.

PO. Option

If your employer is sponsoring your course, please ask their accounts person to contact our Practice Manager directly at jmorris@catts.ie as soon as you have registered. Full payment needs to be received before the course date.

Booking Terms and Conditions

All payments must be made at time of booking. If you have registered but not paid the course fee, your place may be lost to someone else who has fully completed booking. In this case we will offer you a spot on a future course pending full booking.

In the event of sickness or extenuating circumstances you may transfer to an alternative course at no extra cost.

You may give your place on a course to an alternative participant at any time at no extra cost but please inform us of the change. Failure to attend a reserved course will not entitle a participant to a refund or a transfer.

CATTS reserves the right to cancel a course at any time without liability. Should this occur, delegates will be given as much notice as possible and will be offered an alternative date, a different course, or a refund of the course fee. CATTS will not be responsible for reimbursing travel or accommodation.

The Lamh Logo, and Lamh Module One, and all accreditations are copyright of Lamh – Communication Augmentation Sign System Ltd., a registered company limited by guarantee 310531. Charity Number 14515.

Suitable for:

Care Staff

Run by:

Speech & Language Therapist

Bookings / Enquiries:

Contact Us on +353 86 8882765 or mmorris@catts.ie

The CATTS Speech & Language Therapist will deliver a workshop to Care Staff and Care givers which outlines the different types of Communication Strategies available to assist people in their care who have learning disabilities.

This workshop is run over a couple of days and is usually delivered alongside consultation and assessment by CATTS to allow tailoring the practical techniques that can be used to be more directly relevant to the individuals in the specific service.

This will also allow the Care staff to advocate more effectively for people in their care.

CATTS provide supervision services for Speech and Language Therapists and Occupational Therapists who are required to have a Senior therapist advise, coach and assist them with their clinical work.

CATTS offer 3 mentoring plans for this service which each have 2 price options designed to allow therapists pick the best to suit themselves, their clients, and their employer. The Supervision plans are: Senior, Intermediate and Basic, or can be tailored to suit individual needs.

The rates are the same for Face to Face supervision, and Remote supervision (e.g. via Skype).

We also supervise Irish SLTs who are located abroad and who may not be able to access supervision services as part of their role.

OPTION 1: Monthly Supervision Plans

Suitable for experienced Therapists, or Senior Therapists who are working in isolation and who may wish to seek occasional contact with a fellow professional to discuss cases where they may need additional expertise.

Suitable for therapists who are not at senior level but who have at least 2 years experience working with clients. This may also be suitable for a Senior Therapist who has a lot of experience in one clinical area, but who has moved role to a different clinical caseload (e.g. experienced in clients with Down Syndrome, but who now has an caseload of clients on the Autistic Spectrum).

The therapists may, or may not be working in clinical isolation, but wish to seek regular contact with a fellow professional to discuss their caseload. Once competency is mutually agreed, a Senior therapist may wish to move to the Senior Plan for continued supervision.

Monthly Rate: €120This is a regular monthly price which includes each month:

Suitable for new Therapists who are less than 2 years working with clients and who need either additional supervision and support to their on-site supervisor, or may be one of an increasing number of newly qualified clinicians who need to work in isolation with qualified senior support.

This plan is for therapists who are less than 2 years qualified and is designed to provide the supports where it may not be present.

The Approach includes 3 distinctive phases:

Mentoring Phase:Mentoring to all staff over a defined time period (e.g. 12 months). Full SLT & OT assessment at the start of all Service users and follow-up training with staff to tailor specific strategies to be used with each Service user in their care.CATTS Team will continue support after training, phasing out over a set period of time.

Maintenance: (Policing) of outcomes by CATTS for 3 years after the end of the Mentoring Phase, to ensure sustainability. CATTS use quarterly spot visits to Residences with a ‘HIQA-like’ reporting assessment which is then shared to Residence Management and senior team to ensure any issues are found and addressed as they are identified. After the Initial roll-out, CATTS can continue the Policing Phase for as long as Residence Management deem it helpful.

Why this Approach?

CATTS developed this approach after contact by residential units that needed SLT/OT input to address identified service issues. Instead of providing the requested consults which would result in almost indefinite support to ensure continued success, we created a model to empower the onsite teams. The training is delivered by CATTS Founder and Lead Speech and Language Therapist, Marijke Morris, along with members of the CATTS Clinical team onsite at the residence. The CATTS Project Management system then keeps residence management at all levels appraised of the delivery of the approach through all phases, to ensure that it enhances, not interferes with the smooth running of the Residential units.

Testimonial:

“SOS Kilkenny Ltd., a service for adults with intellectual disabilities and autism, employed CATTS to carry out individual service user assessments, staff training in developing communication strategies and staff training in communication passports. We found Marijke and Lisa to be extremely knowledgeable in their field, with a hands-on approach to instructing how to improve the communication of the people we support. Staff were equipped with a tool kit of strategies, that they can now apply to their practice. SOS would use the services of CATTS in the future.” Margaret Larkin, Aspect Manager, SOS Kilkenny Ltd.

What to do next:

If you think your service (or the service your loved one is a resident in) would benefit from this approach, please contact CATTS to discuss. We can only engage directly with senior members of any service as positive change for the well-being of those in care comes from the top.

Ownership of the CATTS Staff-Led Training Approach:

If you are a healthcare professional, and would like to offer this approach directly in your service, or for support to third parties, please contact CATTS to discuss training and licensing for you and your team.

Currently CATTS have not authorised any other providers to offer this approach to meet residents needs in care facilities.